The Schreiner University women’s basketball team has proven it can hang around with top-notch teams, but finishing games is another matter. The Mountaineers found themselves in games against nationally-ranked Trinity University and Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference rival Colorado College but ended up falling.
In a Dec. 29 matchup against Trinity, undefeated and ranked third in the NCAA Division III rankings, Schreiner held a 32-31 halftime lead against the Tigers. The third quarter was a different story. With 6:23 left in the quarter, the Tigers mounted a 14-0 run, shutting out the Mountaineers for nearly four minutes. Trinity outscored Schreiner 32-9 in the quarter.
Despite Schreiner bouncing back in the fourth quarter, the third-quarter drought was enough for Trinity to secure a 74-60 victory. Compounding Schreiner’s troubles were 38 turnovers — a season-high. The Mountaineers’ chaotic pressing defense forced Trinity into 31 turnovers. Joseline Hernandez led the Mountaineers with 13 points, including three 3-pointers.
Schreiner is now 0-3 against teams in the NCAA Top 25 this season and has been competitive in all three games.
However, whatever emotional lift the Mountaineers got from playing Trinity tough collapsed during a fourth-quarter meltdown on Dec. 31 against visiting Colorado College.
Leading 41-38 after three quarters, the Mountaineers saw Colorado College outscore them 29-8 in the fourth quarter. Colorado’s Aubrey Bayston eviscerated Schreiner with 16 points in the quarter to help her to a game-high 28 points — off the bench.
Colorado College grabbed 18 fourth-quarter rebounds and attacked the Mountaineers — leading to 14 free-throw attempts.
The loss against Trinity snapped a three-game winning streak, and the pair of losses dropped the Mountaineers to 2-2 in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.
The Mountaineers now face their next four games on the road before returning to Kerrville on Jan. 20.
While the women’s team showed fight, the men’s team collapsed, losing six consecutive games, including games against Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference rivals Trinity University and Colorado College.
The Mountaineers fell 86-73 to Trinity on Dec. 29 and then lost 63-56 to visiting Colorado College on Dec. 30. It has been a rough ride during the losing streak, with the Mountaineers struggling to score.
Against Colorado College, the Mountaineers held a first-half lead, 28-23. The Mountaineers have shifted their lineup, and Beau Cervantez and Cristian Rodrguez scored 14 points each. But the projected starters of Darian Gibson, Alex Dehoyos and Kamden Ross have disappeared offensively. Dehoyos, the team’s leading scorer last year, was held scoreless. Ross is dominant on the boards but can’t seem to score.
